A behind the scenes conflict over ice time priorities in Devon came to the fore this week at the Monday, May 27 council meeting.

Mike Vant Hoff, president of the Devon Minor Hockey Association (DMHA) spoke before council to protest a prospective policy that could potentially have placed the DMHA behind the Devon Barons AA hockey club’s playoff games in ice time priority.

Vant Hoff told council that while the DMHA supports and has worked productively with the Barons, minor hockey nonetheless still took exception, he said, to the idea of playing second fiddle to a team that has played only one year of hockey in Devon.

“I can’t even comprehend how this administration can even put a suggestion to put our youth in Devon, our kids and grandkids, in priority behind a double A men’s team… why give a group (priority) that has been here one year over groups that have been here for 30 to 40 years?” Vant Hoff said, though he also struck a conciliatory note and told council that he is seeking cooperation. “We will sit down with the ice users of our arena, and we will come forward to town council with a policy within one month that will work. It won’t make everyone happy, but I feel strongly that it will protect our youth and our kids, our hockey players and figure skaters, because they are our future.”

Vant Hoff and the DMHA leadership, as well as other Dale Fisher Arena users such as the Devon Skating Club, packed out the council chambers with supporters as council prepared to decide on an ice time prioritization policy.

Before the agenda moved to that topic, council heard concerns over ice time from multiple delegations, including Vant Hoff and other ice users, like Cliff McCann of the Devon Funtimers and Kelvin Rosentreter of an adult squad that regularly makes use of the latest weeknight ice times. Rosentreter told council that once the Barons began moving into their playoff season his team felt pressure to submit to an ice time request from the Barons.

“Knowing where that (request) was coming from, we were uncomfortable with saying no… because we’re a beer league team and they’re double A.”

Rosentreter did not say that his team’s ice time was explicitly demanded.

Mayor Anita Fisher assured Rosentreter that regardless of where a request for ice time comes from, agreements should always be considered as a solid contract, and that ice time cannot be taken away without consent.

“You’re a beer league team that signed a contract with the town of Devon with regards to a specific time slot, that, realistically, is yours to give away, if you so choose. I think that’s the important part to remember,” said Fisher, who commented that she formerly served as ice time coordinator for the DMHA.

Barons representative and director of operations Trish Rizko also spoke to council, saying that the team has worked with other user groups, particularly the DMHA, in the past, and is open to further cooperation and discussion in the future.

“I spoke with a couple of the (Barons) players today, and they want desperately to work with minor hockey. We do not want any rift between us and any of the user groups, specifically minor hockey, because at some point those minor hockey players will hopefully be Devon Barons,” Rizko said.

After hearing from those present, council members agreed that youth hockey ought to be given priority, but also suggested delaying a decision on an ice time policy until more direct discussion could be had between the various ice user groups.

Milad Asdaghi, director of community and economic development and acting chief administrative officer, told council that while ultimately a clear policy regarding ice time prioritization would be needed, he also hoped to work with the groups to help establish cooperation and compromise, as well as trust.

“We just don’t want to go into a new season without some clarity as to what to do… I think everyone agrees that a policy is beneficial,” Asdaghi said. “We have no intention to impose something on the user groups that’s not going to work, so I respect whatever it is that the user groups want to do and what council directs, but I really do want to build a relationship (with the groups) and that relationship starts with those conversations.”

The policy will come back before council following consultation between town administration and the various arena users.